Almost every day this year children in the small town of Guadalupe, Honduras put on their white and blue school uniforms and walked to school, only to find the classroom door locked, and no teacher in sight. The teacher, who was supposed to be imparting valuable lessons on reading and writing to first through third graders hardly ever showed up for class, and when she did, she was often drunk. Frustrated, the parents in the town tried talking to the head of the school district, but he refused to listen.
Students In Guadalupe Have A Teacher Again
October 29, 2011
Unfortunately, this problem is quite common in Honduras. An Association for a More Just Society (ASJ, formerly known as AJS) study from 2010 indicated that 27% of teachers on the public school payroll were not in the classroom. But, ASJ is working hard to change this situation, and when the exasperated parents didn’t receive any answer from the school district, they knew they could go to an ASJ community worker for help.
The community worker connected the parents with lawyers from ASJ’s Advocacy and Legal Advice Center (ALAC). The ASJ lawyers presented a report on the case to national public education authorities, who responded almost immediately by traveling to the school to do an inspection. At the inspection, the parents’ accusations were proven—the teacher was nowhere to be found.
After this discovery, as dictated by law, the teacher was summoned to a disciplinary hearing. When she didn’t attend the disciplinary hearing, the education authorities started the process to fire her.
In addition, education authorities are waiting for a report from the head of the school district as to why he didn’t take action at the local level. If he does not respond, he will be subjected to a disciplinary hearing as well.
ALAC lawyers note that the children in Guadalupe are now back in school with a new teacher, and ALAC coordinator Ludim Ayala says with satisfaction, “Children have a right to receive a quality education from a qualified teacher. We are pleased to be able to help the education authorities make this happen by rooting out corruption and negligence in Honduran public schools.”
Choosing defiant hope over fear.
Earlier this month, The Banner published a story written by Our Shared Ministr y by Karina Guevara and Elmer Salinas . The authors showcase the work that ASJ-Honduras is doing to help and support students in Honduras. Karina and Elmer tell the story of Genesis Garcia, an 8-year-old, whose family struggles to find consistent jobs. "Genesis Garcia Baquedano is 8 years old and lives with her older brother, Anderson, and their parents in Honduras. Her parents work hard to support their family. Genesis’s father is a painter who struggles to find consistent work, and her mother is a street vendor who spends long hours away from home." According to Karina and Elmer, although Genesis is a good student, she was struggling with reading, writing, and math. This is where the ASJ-Hondurans' program, Strong Communities , comes to be a blessing. "Through God’s grace, Genesis and her family were able to join the Strong Communities program facilitated by World Renew’s local partner, Association for a More Just Society (ASJ, because the Spanish translation is Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa). Through the program, Genesis attended academic support sessions, where she impressed her tutors with her perseverance and enthusiasm. Now, Genesis’s teachers praise the program for the significant progress Genesis has been making at school." We are blessed to be able to help kids like Genesis and her family to be able to achieve their dreams and goals. You can read the full story HERE and learn more about the ASJ-Honduras Strong communities program HERE
Highlights from our 25th Anniversary Celebration in Grand Rapids, MI
MY EMPTY VILLAGE / HOW IMMIGRATION AFFECTS A COMMUNITY (by Sara Pineda)
Young Hondurans have stepped up for democracy (by Blanca Stephanie Elvir)
Reflecting on 25 years of seeking justice together (by Jo Ann Van Engen)
From the Executive Director
What does paused international aid mean for ASJ?
Something Worth Waiting For
Will you walk with us for a more just society?
